National Safeguarding Week

National Safeguarding Week is annual event that is co-ordinated by the five Regional Safeguarding Boards throughout Wales. It is a dedicated time to raise awareness of important safeguarding issues, learn best practice and share information amongst the Social Care workforce and partners.

Alongside this, Gwent Safeguarding Board deliver Local Safeguarding Network Practitioner Forums each May which raises awareness of emerging safeguarding themes/hot topics.

 

November 2024

National Safeguarding Week (NSW) took place between 11th and 15th November and the Gwent Safeguarding Board Local Safeguarding Networks (LSN) facilitated a range of events throughout the week with an overarching theme of ‘Outcomes Focused Practice.’ The week featured presentations from Rhoda Emlyn-Jones, Barbara Firth, Jay Goulding and Rhiannon Wright of Social Care Wales, Jennie Welham and Heidi Jones of MyST, The Children’s Society, the NSPCC, and Babs Walsh of the Regional VAWDASV Team.

This year, NSW also saw the first LSN face to face event since the Covid 19 pandemic which took place at the Parkway Hotel, allowing practitioners the opportunity for networking as well as time to reflect on strengths-based approaches and working with risk. The Board also held a peer support session for those who have trained as Chair and Reviewers for the Single Unified Safeguarding Review process with input from Beth Aynsley of Welsh Government.

In total, across all events it is estimated that almost 400 practitioners took part, something which we feel is a significant achievement and reflects the commitment and motivation of staff across all safeguarding partners in the Gwent region. On behalf of the Gwent Safeguarding Board we would like to say a huge thank you to all those who presented and participated in the events, and we look forward to continuing this success in future.

November 2023

This year’s National Safeguarding Week takes place between 13 to 17 November 2023. National Safeguarding Week is an annual event that is coordinated by the five Regional Safeguarding Boards throughout Wales. It is a dedicated time to raise awareness of important safeguarding issues, learn best practice and share information amongst the Social Care workforce and partners.

Click here for the full program of events taking place in National Safeguarding Week 2023

Gwent Safeguarding Board has organised two online Local Safeguarding Network (LSN) Practitioner events for National Safeguarding Week in November 2023.

Theme: The COST-OF-LIVING crisis and the impact upon safeguarding.

Further details can be found in the program above.

 

November 2022

This year’s National Safeguarding Week took place between 14 to 18 November 2022. 

Gwent Safeguarding Boards theme focused on ‘‘Responding to contemporary safeguarding challenges.” From our work with organisations and practitioners, we are becoming increasingly aware of many new potential sources of harm. As safeguarding advocates we recognise it is important that we stay aware of how changing circumstances might impact people’s experiences and their risk of harm and abuse.

The virtual Safeguarding Programme provided a varied offer that included live online learning sessions, live chats, pre-recorded videos, and webinars, as well as useful links to research reports all aimed at highlighting issues, facilitating conversations & raising awareness of best practice. The Gwent Safeguarding Board held events through the week with presentations from:

  • Lorraine Griffiths, Locality Manger, BAWSO
  • Kathy Jacobs, Project Manager & Betsan Evans, Deputy Team Manager, Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children (UASC)
  • Simon Howarth and Taliah Drayak, Core Members, Parents, Families, and Allies Network (PFAN) 
  • Sharron Wareham, Barnardo’s, Better Futures Cymru
  • Cicelie Vobe, Safe Space Project Coordinator for Wales
  • Professor Sally Holland, Cascade, The end of physical punishment in Wales (pre-recorded video)
  • Detective Inspector Jamie Cooper, POLIT Team, Gwent Police
  • Babs Walsh, Regional Co-ordinator, Gwent VAWDASV: ‘A brief introduction to Technology Facilitated Abuse (TFA)

We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to all presenters who contributed throughout safeguarding week, all presentations were greatly received.

 

November 2021

National Safeguarding Week took place between 15-19 November 2021. Gwent Safeguarding Boards theme focused on ‘Lessons Learned’. This theme was chosen as we believe that by adopting an ethos of continuous organisational and individual learning we will help to foster a culture in which safeguarding practices and processes are regularly reviewed and improved upon ensuring Gwent is committed to delivering safe, effective, and compassionate services for its citizens.

The virtual Safeguarding Programme provided a varied offer that included live online learning sessions, live chats, pre-recorded videos, and webinars, as well as useful links to research reports all aimed at highlighting issues, facilitating conversations & raising awareness of best practice.

The Gwent Safeguarding Board held the Local Safeguarding Networks Virtual Regional Event with presentations from:

  • Director of Transformation and Systems Change ‘Lessons from the pandemic’
  • Head of Safeguarding, Aneurin Bevan University Health Board ‘Lessons from Adult Practice Reviews’
  • Violence Prevention Unit Director, South Wales Police ‘Violence Prevention in Wales’
  • Autside Director, ‘Autism and Radicalisation’
  • Detective Inspector, Gwent Police, ‘Operation Pinebank’
  • Team Manager, Barnardo’s Independent Child Trafficking Guardianship Service (ICTGS)
  • Newport Children's Services Senior Manager ‘National Referral Mechanism pilot update’

 

November 2020

In November 2020, to mark the occasion, we held a regional online event with different live presentations as well as several smaller workshops throughout the week, focusing on the theme of “Reaching Out”.

Please find below some useful links to different resources, which were highlighted as part of these activities.